Flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea

The flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea was a historical flag of Cambodia from 1979 to 1989, used during the Cambodian–Vietnamese War.

People's Republic of Kampuchea
UseNational flag and ensign Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag
Proportion2:3
Adopted7 January 1979
Relinquished1 May 1989
DesignRed field with a yellow five-towered Angkor Wat silhouette in the center

The flag that became the official flag of the People's Republic of Kampuchea had been previously adopted by the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation (KUFNS), who had revived the flag of the Khmer Issarak in the days of anti-French resistance, declaring it the flag of the PRK.[1]

State of Cambodia

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State of Cambodia
 
UseNational flag and ensign  
Proportion2:3
Adopted1 May 1989
Relinquished24 September 1993
DesignRed, blue field, a yellow five-towered Angkor Wat in the center
Designed byHun Sen
 
Variant using the five-towered Angkor Wat silhouette

In 1989, Hun Sen renamed the country as the State of Cambodia and changed the flag: instead of just fully red, it was half red above and half blue below, reviving the blue color of preceding Cambodian flags. It had a yellow five-towered Angkor Wat silhouette in the center like the first. In some versions the Angkor Wat of the State of Cambodia flag displayed the architectural details of the Angkorian structure outlined in black.

Although the flags of the People's Republic of Kampuchea, and later the flag of the State of Cambodia, became the official flags within Cambodia after the ousting of the Khmer Rouge government of Democratic Kampuchea, the flag of Democratic Kampuchea would still be used by the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea and in the United Nations. As the PRK failed to gain widespread international recognition most states kept diplomatic ties with the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea.[2]

Symbolism

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Red symbolizes blood and revolution. The five-towered Angkor Wat silhouette refers to the unity of soldiers, traders, workers, peasants and intellectuals of Kampuchea.

References

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  1. ^ Margaret Slocomb, The People's Republic of Kampuchea, 1979-1989: The revolution after Pol Pot ISBN 978-974-9575-34-5
  2. ^ Michael Vickery, Cambodia 1975-1982, Silkworm Books 2000, ISBN 978-974-7100-81-5
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